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New England blog postings

New England Postings

Earliest: March 14, 2003

Latest: August 29, 2018

Total: 68

August 29, 2018

Henry Knox Monument in Framingham

The Henry Knox Trail is a set of roads and paths that trace the route that the team of soldiers, led by General Henry Knox, to deliver artillery to George Washington. The artillery was used to help win several key campaigns in the Revolutionary War. In particular, it helps free Boston from the British troops.

In Framingham, there's a monument to celebrate that General Henry Knox actually passed by here:

Momument Reads

Through this place passed
GENERAL HENRY KNOX
in the winter of
1775-1776
To deliver to
General George Washington
At Cambridge
The train of artillery
from Fort Ticonderoga used
to force the British Army
to evacuate Boston
erected by the Commonwealth
of Massachusetts 1927

Fitchburg Alumni Brick Location

If you graduated from Fitchburg State College in the late 1990s, your parents might have gotten a promotion to purchase a commemorative brick. The brick would be placed as a walkway in the Hammond Plaza area.

Changes to the Plaza

A few years ago the small grass area in front of Thompson Building was removed and cement bricks were put in place. This was to allow the school to make better use of the area for events.

Hammond Plaza Before/After

The before the picture was taken with my FinePix F601. The after a picture was taken iPhone 6s Plus. While putting together today's blog postings, I noticed that the pictures taken that day with my FixPix actually look better than ones taken with my iPhone. I'll have to do a side-by=side comparison of the two.

Gone but Not Forgotten

The bricks were not destroyed. They are still on campus.

The bricks were moved to an area behind the Alumni Center off of Highland Ave. Some people may remember the building by the former name - the Newman Center (Also known as the Chapel).

To get to the location from the old site:

From the Hammon Plaza, head to Highland Ave, and walk down the street towards the "New Halls." Just before the street ends you'll see the former Newman Center - now named Mazzaferro Alumni Center. Walk along the path between the parking lot and the Mazzaferro Alumni Center, you'll see a brick patio in the back.

Mazzaferro Alumni Center Patio Area

Finding your Brick

The bricks were not put together in the same order. So it may take time to find your brick. There is no guide to help you, simply walk row by row to find your brick - who knows you may find some names of old friends.

One more Thing

Favor: If you're attending Fitchburg State University, can you take a better picture of the Hammond Plaza Area? I would like a better before/after photo.

TD Garden Event Parking Rate

If you're attending an event at the TD Garden, you should know about your parking options.

First off it's very expensive to park at the North Station Garage, from the TD Garden website:

With the most convenient parking for every game and show, the North Station Garage, located directly underneath the TD Garden, offers a flat event rate of $50 when you enter 2 and 1/2 hours prior to the scheduled event time. Elevators located in the parking garage will bring you directly to the main concourse in North Station.

Know your Options

If you're new to Boston, you should know that you do have many options which are just a few blocks away from the station:

Cheapest Option - Public Transportation. The Northside of the commuter rail and North Station T stop is just a few steps away from the TD Garden. The TD Garden Website has all the details on getting there using public transportation.

Great Wolf Lodge

This past week we visit the Great Wolf Lodge in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, otherwise known as Great Wolf New England. We spent 2 days at the Waterpark and having fun with the MagiQuest.

We had Dinner and breakfast at the Lodge Wood Fired Grill. Eating out can be a challenge with a seven-year-old that needs to eat Gluten Free.

Dining Experience

The Lodge Wood Fired Grill had a dinner buffet, but when we went up to see what was being served, we didn't really see anything that was safe and decided to stick to the menu.

When the server came to our table, we told him about my daughter allergy and he told us that it was the restaurant policy to have a chef come and talk to us about our options.

A couple of minutes later, the chief came over and talked to my daughter about what she wanted to have for dinner. It was nice that they started that way to allow my daughter to pick what she wanted. She wanted Mac & Cheese, Chicken Nuggets, and french fries. Basically, the same thing that her friend was having.

The chief told us that he would be able to make all of that gluten-free, the Mac & Cheese would take a bit because they need to boil a fresh pot of water. He would get the chicken nuggets and fries out as soon as possible.

The chicken nuggets and fries did come out pretty quickly - just before the adult's meals. About 10 minutes later the Mac & Cheese came out.

My daughter was very happy to have her Mac & Cheese and other things that she wanted. She didn't feel left out from not having the same thing that her friend was having.

My daughter got a lot of food, she enjoyed it and was very happy.

Breakfast Experience

We went up to the buffet and picked things that we knew were safe for her to eat. We did meet a chief at the buffet and they came to see us at our table to explain other options - including making a special plate of Potatoes because the ones at the buffet were deeply fried not in a dedicated fryer.

Breakfast was good. She got a lot of potatoes, she probably only need 2-3. She was happy to have lots of options and enjoyed the sausage and bacon too. (We noticed that the bacon wasn't all that salty.)

Five things We Learned

To me, I felt the service was slow, it took a long time for the server to take our orders. At breakfast, I felt that our table was forgotten.

The chief at the Breakfast buffet asked what tolerant level my daughter had with gluten. That surprised us. When you are a Celiac, you have to avoid gluten. The FDA rule for packaged foods is 20 parts for million is the maximum ratio of gluten levels in food deemed safe for people with celiac disease.

The next time we'll let the table host know about the allergy so they can leave a chief to know after they sit us down at the table.

The breakfast potatoes were crunchier than the regular potatoes.

They served a lot of food, which is good, but it seemed too much. We couldn't take it home since we were staying at the resort.

Interesting Message on the Dinning Page:

ALLERGY AWARENESS: At Great Wolf Lodge, all our culinary teams are well versed in common food allergies and dietary restrictions. We are more than happy to accommodate your needs, and we encourage you to speak to your chef, so your meal can be prepared safely from the very beginning. Great Wolf Lodge dining facilities do not serve peanut or tree nut products, but some of our products may be manufactured in facilities that also process nuts.

Playhouse at the Breakers Mansion

The Playhouse at the Breaker's Mansion is an often overlooked attraction when visiting the popular mansion. It is located near the exit as you walk around the property.

Six Fun Facts about the Playhouse

Some documents refer the playhouse as simply "The Cottage"

The Playhouse building was build in 1895, the house was constructed in 1893.

Designed by Peabody and Stearns, who designed the original Breaker's Mansion.

The Fireplace is a real working fireplace.

The playhouse was where the five Vanderbilt children could play in the summertime: William Henry Vanderbilt II, Cornelius Vanderbilt III, Gertrude Vanderbilt, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Reginald Claypoole Vanderbilt, Gladys Moore Vanderbilt

In the back room, where there is a pretend kitchen are two buttons on the wall. One of the buttons says '2nd Floor.' We asked someone about it and they said it was a mystery. However, when you look at the playhouse from the backside, you can clearly see windows as if there is a second floor in the playhouse. The windows are very similar to the ones in the Breaker's Mansion.

Playhouse is the Same Today as it Was Then

North Conway 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄ Store

The North Conway's 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄ store is a great place to visit to take a step back to when lives were simple. Here you'll find lots of long ago items and plenty of penny candy for the kids to enjoy.

In the 80s, I stopped by here whenever we visited North Conway. I can remember going through the store and looking at all the unique souvenirs and toys. It was something that I looked forward to on every trip to North Conway.

Last year we were back in North Conway and I got to share the experience with our nine-year-old daughter. The store was a bit different, but it still had plenty of old toys and souvenirs that kept it's charm.

What can you expect when you walk in the store? You'll find Lots of unique items that have made the store such as success over the past 79 years. There are lots of hard to find "penny candy," North Conway souvenirs - including my favorite maple sugar candy. Yes, in 2018 you can still buy some candy for 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄!

Five Things I have Learned about the North Conway's 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄ store

First opened in May 1939. It is the oldest continually operating retail store in North Conway. The store has always existed in the current location. On May 1st, 2019, the store will celebrate the 80th anniversary! An amazing accomplishment for any small 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄ store.

The store was founded by Sidney and Lillian Sweeney. It was sold to Shirley and Phil Alcott in 1977 and they have had the tough job of keeping the store running in the Internet age of online shopping.

The location previous occupant was the Carroll Reed's Ski shop.

At the back of the store, you can find plenty of classic doll furniture and accessories. My daughter really liked the collection since she hasn't seen the items in any previous store.

There were two remaining 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄ stores in New Hampshire the other being Bailey's 5 Cents to 1 in Ashland. Bailey's closed on October 31, 2004.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

The store got listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 5, 2004. The listed number is 03001282. You can get more information about the registration on the Digital Asset Page.

Owners Thoughts

On the North Conway's 5 ⊄ and 10 ⊄ store official website, they have the following statement:

In this present day of fast-paced internet sales and instant gratification, we ask you to pause a moment. You are walking through a piece of history. Take time to enjoy your neighborhood store and the memories it has to offer. After all, we've seen the best part of a century. You never know just what you might encounter when you step back in time.

The North Conway 5 and 10 Cent Store is located at 2683 S Main St, North Conway, NH 03860

Ice Cream Cafe

There's nothing spending a nice summer week on Cape Cod and enjoying the wonderful beaches and golf courses. The only thing that should make the day better is a nice ice cream before heading home.

In Orleans, most people will go to Sundae School to get their frozen treat. That's a good choice. But you should consider going to the Ice Cream Cafe near the Christmas Tree Shop.

Great Choices

The Ice Cream Cafe has a larger selection of ice cream flavors than Sundae School. They even have Vanilla and Chocolate soft serve ice cream.

Gluten Free Cones

One of the nice things to see is they have Gluten Free Cones. They have both the sugar and regular cones. My seven-year-old daughter was very happy to have choices. It's the first ice cream stand we visited where they have Gluten Free Cones.

When we place our order, we told the server about her allergy and they not only made sure that the scoop was well cleaned. They scooped the Ice Cream from an unopened container underneath the regular container.

Clearly they understood the risk of cross-contamination - after all they had two different types of gluten-free cones. They probably served a lot of allergy users.

Good Ice Cream

The Ice Cream was good. She liked the cone and glad she found a place where she can enjoy ice cream like her friends.

The server gave my daughter a lot more than she could handle. She really enjoyed the chocolate chip ice cream.

We'll be back for more summertime treats! My daughter gave it a rare one thumbs up because her other hand had the Ice Cream Cone.

Mystery at the Breakers Mansion

This past weekend we took a tour of the Breaker's Mansion and the Marble House in Newport, RI. It was a fun tour to learn about the history of the two mansions. http://www.newportmansions.org/explore/the-breakers

After the trip, I looked at some photos and videos and I noticed something interesting in a video that I took at the Breaker's Mansion. There appears to be writing on the top of one the Vanderbilt paintings.

This is the first painting of Cornelius Vanderbilt II that you see on the tour, it's located near the famous staircase.

Watch the Video

Watch this video clip and see if you can see what appears to be some writing on the top left of the painting:

The video is good to watch because you can that the text outline only appears when you look at the painting from a certain angle.

Here's a screenshot of where to look for the writing in the video:

What do you think? Was there writing on the painting or is it just some weird brush stroke pattern?

Born July 14, 1928, Miss Marcy had made her home with her mother in New York since 1935. She attended school in Darien, Conn.

Funeral services will be held tomorrow at Guilford.

Besides her parents, Miss Marcy is survived by a sister, Constance of New York City.

In addition, someone posted some information in a feedback section on the ThisIsFramingham website, I am not sure it's talking about same person:

Comment by Sarah - October 14, 2008

Someone was interested in Joan Buckminster Marcy, buried in the cemetery at Framingham. She was my great aunt and a great beauty if I do say so myself. I inherited her portrait, done in oil. It's beautiful and hangs in my sister's house in Washington State.

She was married to a Spanish diplomat.

She died in Egypt after an ectopic pregnancy; medical technology was not what it is today, obviously. She was still in her twenties when she died.

I never knew her, but I knew my grandmother, her sister, very well indeed.

Couple of Notes about the above comment:

Joan was fourteen when she died, not 20.

She didn't die in Egypt but in Guilford, VT.

Why a Turtle Gravestone?

The whimsical bronze turtle does stand out from all the other classic gravestones.

One possible reason for the turtle is its Indian meaning - The turtle symbol signifies good health and long life. The turtle has great longevity living up to 150 years. (Could also be that Joan had a special thing for turtles)

Mystery in the Graveyard?

I am not sure if Sarah comment is correct.

If you have any additional information about Joan Buckminster Marcy, please put it in the comments below. Also, I couldn't find any information on why she was buried in Framingham. Se spent her whole life in Connecticut and New York. Why was she buried in Framingham?

Concord Cheese Shop

Local Tip: Pick up a sandwich here and enjoy your sandwich at the Old North Bridge or at Walden Pond (One of America's Best Parks for Picnicking). They have some of the best sandwiches in the area and worth the stop! (Local Favorite!)

If your entertaining special guests, stop by the Concord Cheese Shop and pick up some unique Cheese and Crackers.

Five Fun Facts about the Concord Cheese Shop

An important part of downtown Concord, Massachusetts since 1967. Current owner is Peter Lovis.

At any given time there are 150 to 200 types of Cheese available in the store. Try this: Talk to the people behind the counter on the type of cheese you like and say you're looking to try something different. They will give you a sample treat and will let you know the best wine to go with your treat.

Since 2009, the Concord Cheese Shop has celebrated Crucolo Cheese Parade, check out the YouTube video. It's a great place to witness a 400-pound wheel cheese from Italy.

This year's Crucolo Cheese Parade will be on December 6th (First Thursday of December) The parade starts at 3:30 pm.

The Famous Concord Shop, a place to get fun kitchen accessories, was next door. The store name was changed to "Concord Cookware" in the fall of 2003. The store moved to 13 Walden Street and finally closed its doors on the last weekend of May, 2018.

Types of Cheese Available

According to their website, here are all the different types of cheese available: